Slide-on desk and adustable table



March 1931- L. E. MYERS ET AL SLIDE-ON DESK AND ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed April 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Shae}.

, v uwntou M 5 @l'fcmu March 31, 1931- 1.. E. MYERS ET AL SLIDE-ON DESK AND ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed April 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A t larne y March 1931. L. E. MYERS ET AL SLIDE-ON DESK AND ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed April 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet Attorney 025W!) 5- WW Inventors Patented Mar. 31, 1931 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS E. MYERS AND NOAH S. AMSTUTZ, OF VALZPARAISO, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS, BY

MESN'E ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY. AND.HABOLD H. ROCK- WELL AS TRUSTEES Applicationflled April 24, 1926. Serial No. 104,252.

Dur invention relates to improvements in slideondesks and adjustable tables, andit more especially consists of the features pointed out in the claims.

The purpose of our invention is to provide a convenient supporting means for portable educational desks which serves as an adjustable table when used with or without the desk; that admits of the sliding-on of the desk board; that holds the open boardof the desk in engagement with the table top by means of its grooved side arms; that utilizes the same grooves to hold the desk boardclosed when the desk is not in use; that also provides limit stops at the rear edge of the table to hold the desk against excessive sliding movementforward and backward; that supplements these stops by separate stops for the rear ends of the side arms; that supplies simple means for adjusting the height of the table to adapt its use to growing children; and that also provides an edgewise table adjustment to compensate for shrinkages, expansions, etc., of the table and the desk board.

With these and other ends in view, we illustrate in the accompanying drawings such instances of adaptation as will disclosethe broad underlying features without limiting ourselves to the specific details shown thereon and described herein.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a desk and table in assembled relation. s

Fig. 2 is a reduced size front elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional elevation, with parts broken away, of the relation of a side arm to a projecting flange of the table to i i Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation in section of the rear edge of the table showing a desk and its board in assembledrelation with the side arm and table flange. I

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a rear edge corner of the table top, with parts broken away on line 55 of Fig. 7 i

Fig. 6 is an elevation similar to Fig. 4, showing the desk being slid rearward, just in front of its receiving channel, also showing a side arm and table flange on line 6-6 of Fig. 8.;

' In practically carrying our invention into actual use we do not limitourselves to the specific dimensional relation of the parts as exemplified in the drawings, and we likewise do not limit ourselves to the specific type of desk or table shown, because any desired type of table and cooperating desk board that are attachable and detachable in respect of each other, whether such attachment is made by a sliding movement or in any other manner, comes within the spirit of our invention.

The drawings exemplify only one way in which the attachable and detachable features may be carried out,and they do notillustrate all logical alternatives inconstruction. The construction comprises a table top frame 1 formed of four strips-two on the sides, and a front and a rear strip. These are held together by corrugated fasteners 25, shown in Fig. 5,01 by any other means. On top of this frame a veneer table top 2 is placed. It is securely glued on the frame 1 or held in any desired manner. The top projects over the edges of the frame on all sides to form a flange 2. On the front and sides the flange isrounded, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to permit the side flanges '2 to enter the grooves 21 of a pair of side arms 19. (Fig. 2). The flange 2 at the rear'eclge forms a stop 27 (Fig. 6) thatholds the desk cross member 5 and the attached parts from being accidentally pulled forward oil the table when the frame 6 is in its vertical position (Fig. 4);

Along the rear edge of the table top, underneath the flange 2 we attach a channel member 26 which extendsthe full width of the veneer top. It may be secured by nails, screws or otherwise. An upstanding projection 28 along its rear edge serves to form a limit stop which prevents the desk being accidentally pushed oil the table in that direction because the lowest desk cross member 5 will engage the stop 28, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. The stop 28 is supplemented by the end projections 29 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5). Theseprojections are engaged by the under edge of the rear end of each side arm 19, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

To, compensate for excessive changes in contraction or expansion of the veneer table top or the desk board 18, we may use the expedient shown in Fig. 7'Wherein flanges 2, corresponding to the roundedeidge'siof the table top 2, are made a part of movable edges 46 which may be attached to each side edge of the table frame 1 by hi g 4 Adj s ing screws 49 loose in edges 46 but threaded into the frame 1 work in opposition to the compensating springs 47. These movable side edges may project above the veneer table top, if desired, to raise the under face of the board 18 above the table top so as to guard against the scratching of the veneer top should the boards, for any reason be warped. In practice it has been found that this contingency is not of frequent occurrence. By moving the screws 49 inward, expansion of the table top 2701' 'a shrinkage of the board 18 is compensated, and by moving them outward a reverse dimensional change of these'parts is overcome. If desired the springs 47 may be madeto serve the edges 46 so that the side arms 19 may be snubbed over the flanges 2 without sliding the board 18 and side arms 19 onto the table top. Should it be desired to positively hold the edges 46 intwo direc tions, cooperating screws which simply abut the frame 1 may be threaded in the edges 46. As this form of opposing screw adjustments is such a well known expedient itxis not shown in detail.

The desk itself includes the board 18 also known as a drawing board secured in the grooves 20 of the side arms 19. The side arms are pivoted to the desk by means of a one-piece bail 14 (Figs. 1 and 2) whose ends 15 are bent at about right angles and terminate in hook ends 16 (Fig. 3). These terminations 16 enter openings in the side arms thus forming pivots on which the board can be reversed. V The bail itself is pivoted in the spring plate 17 attached to the side members 3 of the desk frame. hen the board 18 is used to close the desk it is detached from the table and is first released from the side arm by retracting the bolt 24. The board 18 is then drawn forward from under the front ledge 22 of the lower cross member 5 and this to each other so that-the opened desk can be handled by means of the locked board.

In this relation the sidearm grooves 21 found .on'the under side of the board form runways for the side ledges 2. There is sufficient width'of the grooves 21 to allow the narrower ledges 2 of the table top .to enga ethe lowest margin ofthe grooves 21, whic 'permits the undersideof the cross member 5 to ride above the table top as theboard is pushed backward (Fig.6) As soon as the extreme rear position is reached (Fig. 4) the thickest portion of the bottom member .5 drops into the channel between stops 27 and 28. If the desk is to be removed from the'table while open it is first raised to clear the stop '23 from the stop 27 and it is drawn forward, out of engagement with the table, as shown in Fig. 6.

If the edges 46 supplied with spring pressureare used the side arms of the opened board, attached to the desk frame, may be placed. on top .of the edges 46 and simply pressed downward to cause the ledge2 of the spring members 46 to snub into grooves 21 of the side arms and thus hold the desk and table in assembled relation. When this alternative method of assembling is used the board is placed forward of its extreme rear position so that after the edges 46 have been snubbed into the grooves 21 it can be slid rearward until the side arms engage the stop 29. It is understood of course that the closed desk can be stored on top ofthe table with the flanges 2 engaging side arm grooves 21. If one side of the board is next-the tableit can be'reversed and when the bail is disengaged from the board the-desk may be re-' assembled to bring the otherside ofthe board forward andthe bail reattached to the side arms. i

The desk comprises the side members 8, a. backing 6, cross member 4 at the'top, 5 at the bottom and 7 below the scroll space. There are vertical members13 and short cross "members .12.. An active permanent roller 8 witha detachable scroll is placed j a drawer 33 slides.

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side of the table top frame 1. Between these On the underside of the rails 32 extensions 36 are placed. These may be mortised into the rails. They have hidden guide plates 41 and height adjusting openings 42. They slide up and down between the upward extensions 34 of the legs, and bolts and wing nuts 43 cooperating with the clamps 38 hold the table in different adjustments. The clamps 38 are U-shaped and they are pivoted at 39 to one of the leg extensions. At the other end clamping thumb screws 40 are placed. These serve to draw a pair of leg extensions toward each other at their upper ends and thus hold the parts 36 against wobble. Tie blocks 35 serve to join the leg extensions by means of nails, glue, screws or in any other manner. Feet 37 are atached to the legs 34, and a cross member 44 ties the legs to each other.

The table parts may be packed for shipment in a knock-down manner in a single carton along with a closed desk and an adjustable bench (not shown) which embodies the same height adjusting and knock-down features as the table, thus facilitating the shipment of complete equipments at a minimum cost and placing in the hands of the user a unique combination of effective educational features. The table and bench can of course be used as such independently of the desk. At such time the channel member 26 will serve to hold pencils, pen holders, brushes, etc., and the drawer may also be used as a receptacle for such items when the desk is on or off the table.

What we claim is:

1. A combined portable desk and table, comprising a desk with an open front, a pivoted closure for the same adapted to serve as a drawing board, a suitable table top, and cooperating means between the table top and closure for positioning the opened desk on the table top in an attachable and detachable .5 manner, said cooperating means comprising projecting edges of the table and grooved side arms of the closure adapted to receive said edges, and an upwardly facing groove along the rear edge of the table top and a projection on said desk for reception in said groove.

2. A combined portable desk and table comprising an open front desk, a board swingably mounted on the desk at a point between the ends of the board, a reinforcing arm for each side edge of the board said reinforcements having lengthwise grooves formed on their inner faces, elastic means on the desk adapted to engage said grooves to hold the board in closed relation adjacent the desk, means on the desk adapted to hold the board against accidental displacement when it is supported swingably in open relation to the desk, a table top adapted to receive the board, and means comprising a cooperating groove along the rear edge of the table top, and a projection on the desk for defining the position of the board and desk on the table top in an attachable and detachable manner.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a suitable frame, a board secured on the frame so as to project beyond the edges of the frame on all sides, to form a toptherefor, and a grooved rail secured to the rear edge of the frame beneath the rear edge projection of the board to form a channel, the side projections of the board being at right angles to the rail and adapted to receive and hold a drawing board slidably in an attachable and detachable manner against vertical displacement said board having grooved side arms adapted to engage the side projections of the board.

4. In a combined desk and table compriss ing a desk frame, a board pivoted to the frame, means on the frame for holding the board in an open or closed relation to the frame, a downward projection from the bottom of the frame, a table top, a flanged ledge along one edge of the table top positioned on a lower plane than the upper surface of the table top, and means for holding the frame projection between the flange and the adjacent table edge in a removable manner while the frame and board are attached to each other. i

5. In table tops for receiving removable desk boards, a central body, and hinged edges adjustable in respect of the body, said edges having lengthwise projections for cooperation with mating means on the desk board for holding the board on the table top.

6. In table tops for receiving removable desk boards, a central body constituting a table top, adjustable edges attached to the body, and cooperating means between such edges and a desk board adapted to hold the parts in assembled relation in an attachable and detachable manner.

7. In a combined desk and table, a table having a permanent top, a portable desk comprising a reversible closure having grooved side arms said closure being pivoted to the desk, means on the desk and the closure cooperating with each other to hold them in engagement, projecting edges on the table top cooperating with the grooved side arms on the closure to hold the opened desk and closure in attachable and detachable relation to the table top, and limiting means for the table top serving to define the position of the opened desk thereon against accidental displacement.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

LEWIS E. MYERS. NOAH S. AMSTUTZ. 

